Dornbirn: Young storks fly again after successful care!

Dornbirn: Young storks fly again after successful care!

On June 29, 2025, three young storks were released into freedom in the Dornbirner Ried after they were cared for for several weeks in the Feldkirch wildlife park. A local farmer had discovered the storks when a strong gust of wind had blown them out of her nest. Of the originally four young birds, one suffered a broken leg and had to be put to sleep. The three surviving storks were brought back to their original breeding ground near their parental nest to support their acclimatization in nature.

Animal welfare manager Karl-Heinz Hanny emphasized that storks are swarm birds and that the young animals have to learn from older storks how to find and fly food. This finding is part of the work of the Vorarlberg animal welfare association, which emphasizes the cooperation between farmers, animal rights activists and wildlife stations. Only through this close cooperation can effective nature conservation be operated, which is of great importance for the population of storks.

Habitat and nutrition of the storks

The white stork, often referred to as rattling ort, is widespread in Europe. These birds prefer moist areas such as swamps, meadows and meadows that are rich in food sources. Your food mainly consists of frogs, insects, lizards, mice and fishing. Young storks need over a kilogram of meat every day to grow healthily. The loss of suitable habitats, in particular through the destruction of wetlands, represents an increasing threat to the storks and significantly affects their food intake.

behavior and train migration

storks are migratory birds that move to Africa in autumn to find food there. These impressive birds use warm winds for gliding and can reach a maximum flight altitude of 4500 meters. Her flight routes have been well researched: western parties fly over Gibraltar to North Africa, while Eastern Zieher move to Asia Minor over the Bosphorus. The majority of the white storks belong to the Eastern Ziehern. Historically, storks were considered in the water in the Middle Ages, an assumption that later refuted.

The history of the storks is also closely connected to humans. They were often used to combat pests and found their place as popular nesting aids on roofs, church towers and other high structures. The labeling and research of these birds began in the 17th century and contributed to gaining a better understanding of their hiking trails, loyalty to couples and their way of life.

The current efforts to relieve young storks to freedom show the commitment to protect these fascinating animals and offer hope for a healthy population in an constantly changing environment. Further information provides vorarlberg.orf.at and detailed insights into the way of life of the storks are on